How Promiscuity Affects Families

Sexual activity is generally highly pleasurable, and for good reason. It is the means by which a species can continue to grow and survive. However, the fact is that humans grow and survive best when part of tight, cohesive family units–units which can be torn apart by unhealthy and dangerous activities.

It is an unfortunate truth that sexual promiscuity runs rampant in our current society, and has shockingly become more acceptable. Those who engage in promiscuous behavior often have a long list of excuses that justify why it’s okay. These excuses may include the idea that it’s unnatural for human beings to be monogamous, that they are unhappy in their marriages or relationships and they deserve to do whatever it takes to be happy, that they have a high need for lots of sexual interaction and so on. However, whatever the excuse is for this behavior, the behavior itself is selfish and without integrity, and it is harmful both to the individual and to his family.

The Repercussions of Promiscuity

A family is a close-knit unit of individuals who seek to support and encourage one another along survival lines. Each individual has their own strengths and desires in their life, and oftentimes it is their own determinism and persistence in life that leads to their success. That said, a single individual cannot survive well on his own, and must rely upon others for some degree of support and assistance. This is why families that are closely bonded tend to experience great success among their members. This also means that anything that one family member does can very well impact and affect their other family members. This can be quite obviously seen when one family member engages in drug use, thereby dropping their responsibilities and straining their familial relationships, but it can also occur when promiscuity enters the picture.

When one is considering the repercussions of promiscuity in a family, one must first consider the children. Children learn primarily through mimicry, especially mimicry of their parents. That said, they also have an innate sense of right and wrong, and can therefore become confused, frustrated and even angry when things are occurring that they know are not okay or survival. Promiscuous parents, for example, interrupt the basic idea that one should be faithful to their sexual partner, and that families are a tight and bonded unit that is separate from all other units and relationships in the world.

In addition to the impact one’s promiscuity can have on their children, one should also consider the impact it has on their own relationships, health and happiness in life. A lack of faithfulness by oneself or one’s sexual partner can cause a wide range of difficult emotions, including guilt, grief, jealousy and vengeance. It is commonly understood that sexual relationships are somewhat sacred, and an indication of one’s trust in another individual. The deep emotional impact, then, of either one’s own promiscuity or of one’s partner’s promiscuity, can be difficult to live with or fully recover from.

Our lives are filled with many temptations that we must learn to deal with and overcome in a way that best supports our survival and happiness. How we handle these temptations and maintain our integrity defines our basic character and creates a legacy that our children may very well continue.

Considering the many problems that occur as a result of promiscuity, it follows quite simply that being faithful to one’s sexual partner is a firm step on the road to a happy, fulfilling life.